FromSoftware Sends Out The Duskbloods Network Test Codes Ahead of August 21 Start
Codes for FromSoftware's The Duskbloods Network Test have been sent to selected participants, who can now download the game client ahead of play sessions beginning Friday, August 21. VideoGamesChronicle
The test runs intermittently across four days on Nintendo Switch 2, wrapping up Monday, August 24. FromSoftware — the Japanese studio behind Elden Ring and the Dark Souls series — confirmed the dates in July via the game's official X account, @TheDuskbloods. The full session schedule, all times in BST, is: August 21, 11 AM–3 PM; August 22, 3 AM–7 AM and 7 PM–11 PM; August 23, 11 AM–3 PM; and August 24, 3 AM–7 AM.
Successful applicants can retrieve their Nintendo Switch 2 download code from the Account page on The Duskbloods Network Test website at campaign.theduskbloods.jp. FromSoftware directs anyone with questions about the overseas test to Nintendo's support pages for their region, and operates a dedicated inquiry page on its own domain as well. Nintendo's Americas support site also hosts a troubleshooting article for errors encountered while applying, advising users to verify their Country/region setting when linking a Nintendo Account.
The Duskbloods is an online-only multiplayer game and a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive. A network test, for those unfamiliar with the term, is a limited-time play session publishers use to stress-test servers and gather player feedback before a game's full launch — not a demo or early access period.
FromSoftware has not confirmed a specific release date, but the studio has stated the game will launch sometime in 2026. For Switch 2 owners, this weekend's test is the first chance to go hands-on.
Nintendo published its own guide — "Learn how to apply for the Duskbloods Network Test" — on both its US and Australian websites ahead of the application window. The company's official US store page for the game also lists the August 21–24 Global Network Test window.
For fans of FromSoftware's typically single-player, narrative-heavy titles, The Duskbloods represents a different direction — a competitive online experience built around multiplayer sessions. The network test will be the first real look at how that formula plays.
